While university fees continue to rise in many parts of the world, some of you might be thinking that getting a recognized degree qualification, either in your home country or abroad, is simply impossible without having a four- or five-figure budget at your disposal, or without obtaining a scholarship

There are many countries worldwide where students are able to study abroad for free or for a very affordable amount; you just need to know where to look.

Below you’ll find a selection of countries that offer low-cost or free tuition, with details on eligibility and what current (low) university fees you can expect.

#1 Study in Germany for free

Interest in studying abroad inGermany just seems to keep on growing. This is largely due to the fact that there are no undergraduate tuition fees at public universities in Germany, and this applies to both German students and internationals, regardless of nationality.

Just a small nominal university fee is charged, of around $177.18-250 (~US$160-265) to cover administration costs.

These low study costs, combined with Germany’s strong economy and excellent higher education system, makes the prospect of undertaking study in Germany for free extremely appealing for both students and their parents worldwide.

Indeed, in a recent HSBC report on ‘The Value of Education’, Germany is among the top five countries in the world in terms of perceived quality of education among surveyed parents.

More than 40 German universities are featured among the world’s leaders in the QS World University Rankings – again, beaten only by the US and UK – with the highest place taken by Technische Universität München.

There are, however, signs that studying in Germany for free will not be possible for much longer. The state of Baden-Württemberg in south-west Germany recently announced plans to reintroduce tuition fees for non-EU students from autumn 2017, meaning non-EU students will be required to pay fees of around $1,771.8 (~US$1,600) per semester to study at universities in the state, such as Ruprecht-Karls-Universität Heidelberg.

If you’re successful in finding a university at which to study in Germany for free, you will of course still need to budget for living costs.

If you need a German student visa, you’ll need to prove you have around $10,276.44 (~US$9,230) per year for living expenses.

Two of the top destinations for study in Germany, Munich and Berlin, were also ranked within the top 20 most affordable cities to study in the QS Best Student Cities 2017.

#2 Study in France for free (or at low cost)

France may not be quite as widely known as Germany for affordable higher education. But international students may be surprised to hear that they can also study in France for free (or, at a very low cost), regardless of their nationality.

Although technically university fees do exist at public universities in France, they’re just a fraction of those charged in most countries, amounting to just $217.34 (~US$195) per year at the undergraduate level to cover course administration.

Additional charges can bring this price up, particularly for more specialized programs such as medicine and engineering, but not dramatically.

If you’re looking to study at a leading grande école, however, expect fees to vary widely.

As is the case in Germany, the majority of programs offering the chance to study in France for free are taught in the native language.

However, there are a growing number of opportunities to study in English, particularly at the graduate level.

Alternatively, you can also attend a preparatory school to perfect your French skills before beginning your degree, but this you’ll have to pay for.

Living costs in France are also relatively affordable, amounting to around $11,339.52 (~US$10,180) per year, though you should expect to pay more if you choose to live in the capital city Paris.

According to Number, cross-channel rival London eclipses Paris in all aspects of expense, with consumer prices marked 25% higher and rental prices a whopping 69% higher than in Paris.

The French capital’s comparative affordability, combined with a huge selection of internationally ranked universities, means it continues to rank within the top five of the QS Best Student Citiesindex.

#3 Study in the Nordic countries for free

Known for their high quality of life, stunning nature and liberal politics, Northern European nations (known as the Nordic countries) also boast some of the strongest higher education systems in the world.

In Norway, university study is available free of charge to all students, regardless of study level or nationality.

The majority of undergraduate programs are taught only in Norwegian, and international students need to demonstrate proof of proficiency in Norwegian in order to study at this level.

At master’s and Ph.D. level, English language programs are far more common and free tuition still applies.

Denmark and Sweden only extend their free higher education perks to students from within the EU/EEA and Switzerland, meaning that students from outside these regions must pay tuition fees for bachelor’s and master’s programs.

Ph.D. programs in both countries are fully funded, offering exceptional Ph.D. candidates the chance to gain their degree without paying fees, and earn a salary.

Finland will soon join them in charging tuition fees to non-EU students starting from autumn 2017, which will be a minimum of $1,771.8 (~US$1,600) per year.

In both Denmark and Sweden, international fees at bachelor and master levels vary.

In Denmark, university fees range from between DKK 45,000 and DKK 120,000 (~US$6,420-17,115) annually, while in Sweden they fall between SEK 80,000 and SEK 140,000 (~US$8,730-15,270).

In Iceland, there are no tuition fees charged at the country’s four public universities, with only a registration fee of around $472.48 a year (~US$425).

But what about living costs? Well, this is the catch, as the costs of living in Northern Europe are among some of the highest in the whole of Europe.

This is largely due to the healthy economy of the region overall and the strength of the Nordic currencies, so paying more for a living when the streets are clean and the people are happy perhaps isn’t so bad! Four Nordic capitals have been ranked among the world’s top student cities: Copenhagen, Helsinki, Oslo, and Stockholm.

Other places to study in Europe for free (or at low cost)

What about other places to study in Europe for free or at a low cost? There are a number of Europe countries which offer affordable or free universities, without any need to sacrifice on quality. See below for more examples.

Austria

Another country where students can study in Europe for free (or at a very low cost) in Austria.

EU/EEA students enjoy the same rights as Austrians when it comes to the cost of higher education, and can study for free at any degree level. After this time, students pay a fee of just $428.78 (~US$385) per semester.

International students from outside of the EU/EEA should expect slightly higher fees of around $857.55 (~US$770) per semester. Living costs will set all students back approximately between $12,048.24-12,000 (~US$10,820-12,730) a year.

Belgium

There are two main language communities in Belgium, each with their own stance on university fees. However, EU students will pay a maximum of only $986.3 (~US$890) a year.

And while it’s just EU students who get the major benefits of being able to study in Europe for free, fees are still very affordable for international students, ranging from $1,051.27 to a maximum of $4,931.51 (~US$940-4,430) per year.

You can live in Belgium with a budget of around $13,465.68 (~US$12,100) a year. Brussels, the capital city, was ranked 45th in this year’s QS Best Student Cities.

Czech Republic

Students who speak Czech are able to study abroad for free in the Czech Republic at any public university. Students who wish to study in English can also study fairly cheaply, at around CZK 108,334 (~US$4,260) per year.

Living costs are more affordable than in many countries in Western Europe, at around CRK 106,900-229,070 (~US$4,200-9000) per year.

The Czech capital city, Prague, is ranked 30th in the QS Best Student Cities.

Greece

All students from within the EU/EEA are able to study abroad for free in Greece at public universities and colleges, with the exception of some master’s programs.

And if this doesn’t sound like enough, you could also get your course textbooks for free! International students from outside of the EU are also eligible for low-cost higher education, at approximately $1,771.8 (~US$1,600) per year.

Greece offers one of the lowest costs of living in the European Union.

Italy

Although private universities in Italy can be known to charge fairly high tuition fees, public universities in Italy are markedly cheaper, charging between $1,004.02 and $1,181.2 (~US$900-1,060) per year for undergraduate programs.

EU students are eligible for the same funding opportunities as Italian students, including loans, grants, scholarships, and fee waivers. Living costs in Italy are also not as high as you might expect, at around $14,174.4-18,000 (~US$12,760- 19,145) per year.

Milan is ranked 33rd in the most recent QS Best Student Cities, while capital city Rome is 65th.

Spain

With the same education rights as Spanish students, EU students are not required to pay high education fees.

International students, meanwhile, are able to study in Spain for between $803.22 and $1,653.68(~US$720-1,500) per year at public institutions. Fees are charged on a per-credit basis and can be higher at the graduate level.

To live in Spain you should expect to spend between $12,756.96 and $15,591.84(~US$11,500-14,050) a year in living costs.

Madrid, Barcelona, and Valencia are all featured in the QS Best Student Cities 2017, with Barcelona the highest ranked at 23rd.

Other places to study abroad for free (or at low cost)

Argentina

While Argentinian students all enjoy access to free universities, international students should expect to pay a small, nominal fee to enroll at public universities in the country.

Private institutions in Argentina, on the other hand, can charge upwards US$5,000 a year. In the QS Best Student Cities 2017, Argentinian capital Buenos Aires is 42nd.

India

In India, international students will typically pay tuition fees of no higher than US$7,300 a year, though private university and graduate fees tend to be more expensive.

Living costs in India are, for most students, likely to be very appealing – according to Number, consumer prices are 187% cheaper than in the UK, while rental prices are as much as 373% cheaper.

Overall, you should be able to live comfortably on as little as US$5,000 a year.

Taiwan

Tuition fees in Taiwan offer great value, with the nation’s top universities offering affordable programs. For example, National Taiwan University (NTU), the nation’s leading university at joint 68th in the QS World University Rankings 2016-2017, last year charged undergraduate students just TW$100,920-124,200 (~US$3,175-3,900) per year. In the QS Best Student Cities 2017, Taipei was ranked 16th in the world and 16th for affordability

please my name is Diing Garang Diing from South Sudan I sat for leaving secondary school Certificate and I have no Money for University as I have desire to study medical can you help me to get full funded scholarship in any Country for study.
thanks in Advance

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